Rail support



Nov. 11, 1930. B. J. SCHWENDT ET AL 1,781,251

RAIL SUPPORT Filed June 15, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmmlom B. zlfichwencli} 0.1171530 liz,

W/T'NESSES Nov. 11, 1 930.

B. J. SCHWENDT Er RAIL SUPPORT Filed June 15, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 1 1 1930' 1 .UNITED STATES BERNARD .T. SOHWENDT, or CLEVELAND, Ann CARL NATI,

B. STOLTZ, or ornoiiv- OHIO I I RAIL SUPPORT Application filed. June 15,

This invention relates to tie plates, and more particularly to an improved compensating type of plate including parts adapted for relative adjustment thereby permitting 5 the'supported rail to be raised or laterally shifted as desired.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a tie plate construction which permits of either or both the lateral and vertical adjustment of the rail in a simple and expeditious manner, thereby avoiding the use of shims and washers and permitting of adjustments to a relatively minute degree within a given range. In that connection the invention contemplates means for changing the position ofthe rail vertically without completely removing the rail from its fastenings, thereby saving much time and labor incident to the change to be efiected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction whose parts, when once set in their new or adjusted position, may be held rigidly together by the superposed weight or load thereon, thereby avoiding any tendency of the parts to shift or creep out of adjustment.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the

same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment 0 85 the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which r Fig. l is an elevational view of one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of another form of 40 the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the supporting unit BG.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 2. 1

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified construction.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the bottom plate shown in Fig. 4. V

Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 5.

1929. Serial No. 371,206.

Fig. 6is an elevation of a further embodiment of the invention along the general lines 7 of the invention shown inFig..1.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several fig ures of the drawings I i In carrying the present invention into effect it is proposed to'provide a tie bearing plate proper designated generally asA, the same having mounted thereon -'a vertically co adjustable'rail supporting unit consisting'of the parts B and C, which is adapted for relative transverse or lateral adjustable engagementwith' the tie bearing plate A. ,The upper part B ofthe rail chair is provided with a channel for receiving the rail base and this seat may be horizontal as shown or inclined in accordance with standard practice to provide the desired cant for the rail- In 7 this. connection the lower member C of the rail chair which constitutes a part of the means for effecting vertical adjustment may have a direct bearing engagement with the upper surface of the tie bearing plate, or it may havean indirect bearingthrough an adjusting plate C as shown in Figs. 2 to 5inelusive for. overlying and engaging-with the tie bearing plate A.

It will therefore be apparent that in all embodiments of the invention the essential features of a tie bearing plate A and a superposed rail supporting unit BC are utilized, the latter being so constructed as topermit of the vertical adjustment of the rail,.while the entire unit B-C or BC,C maybe moved or shifted laterally or transversely of the longitudinalaxis of the rail. 7

Referring now more specifically to the details of construction for carrying out the foregoing features it may be observedlthat the upper surface of the tie bearing plate A is provided with a series of serrations, or alternating parallel ribs and grooves, designated generally as-2 and arranged transversely of the plate. These serrations or ribs are adapted to cooperate with similar serrations, ribs-or their equivalent 2 on the bottom or height adjusting member C of the rail supportingchair so that byloosening the rail fastenings Fth'e rail support maybe moved 1 toward one edge or the other of the plate and the desired lateral positioning of .the rail I may be obtained. This form of adjustment is common to all embodiments of the invention.

The rail supportingunit 13-0 in which the upper member 13 has a seat for the rail R, and the lower member is movable to effect vertical adjustmentof the rail, may manifest itselflinyarious structural forms to se 10 cure relative elevation vertically' of the member B with reference to the member C.

According to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the

members B and G consist of rectangular plates of wedge. shaped oross section and having matching diagonal faces each provided with a plurality of shoulders or facets 3 Y which are preferably flat, as shown or may be cupped or rounded, and whereby the sidewise movement of one member with reference -to the other will produce a progresslvely 1ncreasing'elevation of the upper member B as the same 1s1moved-toward-thefop-pos te edge flof 'the lower member from that which it occupies initially. Clearly any desired degree .of elevation may be obtained if the proper number of proper dimension facets or shoul- 'ders' are used and the angles of thejinterengaging faces are such that the superposed weight of the rail will firmly hold the members B and C together sothat when 'all'of the membersA, B and C are placedunderload also pass through openings in the tie bearing plate A, and take anchorage in the wooden tie- T. As shown in Fig. 4 thesaid'fastenings rFmay be formed at their lower ends so as to engage with the tie plate. For guiding the relative transverse movement of the member Con-the tie bearing-member A, and to'also prevent creeping of said member on the tie bearing plate the latter is. preferably trans verselygrooved'as indicated at 5 to receive the keying rib 6: on the bottom of the member C.

' "Figures 2, 2 and 3 of the invention illus- I trate the carrying forward. of the invention by modifying the rail supporting unit B-C to theextentthat'they are circular, and the bearing engagementbetween the two members, instead of being shouldered orstepped in a gradual transverse plane diagonally from one edgeito the other'of the unit, is obtainediby the use ofcomplemental half spiral flightsiljland D and E and E, the limits of thehalf spiral fiightsbeing indicated by the dotted line m.a' in Fig. 2-. The faces of these halfs iral flights are provided with a plurality of acetsorsteps 3? and 3 which may beinclined, rounded-,' cupped; or sloped in such a way that the members become self locking when rotatably shifted, and. at the same time elevate the upper member B to any desired degree according to the pitch of the flights and the notches engaged.

that the movement'of the members B and C relative to each other is rotary instead of rectilinear as in Fig; 1," and therefore to accommodate such movementthe slots 4 in the 701 In the form of theinvention shown n .7 Figs. 2 and 4 it 'will therefore be apparent member (1' are arcuate shaped. Also" both Q "members areprovided with wrench or tool engaging lugs 13 and C'to assistand facilitate their adj ustment.

Figs. and 5 of the drawings illustrate, a

construction*wherein themembers'B andC constituting the rail ch'air are provided-with four spiral shoulderedflights 6, 7 8 and 9 as indicated by the dottedlines, act-4a. in Fig.5

instead of two flights of shouldered steps or risers. Also, the lower part of the rail chair 0 and the adjustment'plate C .whioh' rests on the tie bearing plate A may be provided with-a curved'complemental rib and: groove or equivalent construction 10 which functions as a centering ring for the members C V l I V i V V L n 1 Fig. 6 of the drawings representsa further carrying forward of the invention; according to Fig. 1 wherein the ra l chair B.T.C lnstead of being provided with one inclined set of eomplemental risers orfacets is provided with two sets of inclines 1111 and 12 -12 which permit of horizontal adjustment of either the members B :or Ctoward one edge or the other of the tie plate A. I

From the foregoing it'will be apparent that the presentinvention which consists essentially of the fixed tie bearing member and the;

relatively shiftable and adjustable chair provides a wide range of adjustment to compen sate for rail wear and vtie depression. In

country where the ground freezes to six inches or a foot or'more 1t 1s very common practice for the tracks to heave at highway crossings or other points where drainage is not free. Therefore, this heaving produces .a hump which, in a high speed track, is quite troublesome as 1t may cause rail breakage or 1 1 damage to trains. To overcome this it is v necessary to build easements over the hump as it is very diflicult, and nearly impossible when the ground is frozen, to dig the ties down to reduce the hump onaccount of the heaving.

It is ordinarily the practiceito place shims under the rails on each side of'th'e hump, gradingoif to a distant-point to form an easement as heretofore indicated. .In that con:

nection the-construction in the presentcase :55"

and the adjustment therein possible willprovide an'easy methodofrsetting up such: an easement. V Y i Also, as is well known, 'at present, much time is spent by sectiong'angs in adjusting V the line and surface of the rails. To adjust surface and take vertical depressions out of the rail, the practice is to tamp up underneath the ties. To make horizontal adjustment a number of men shift the track using lining bars to heave it over one way or the other. With the arrangement of the present invention, two men can make the adjustments to accomplish the same purpose within the limits of such adjustments, thereby displacing a greater number of men.

"When the features or principles involved are applied to units of circular or spiral configuration, the bearing faces of the notches are disposed from a central point forming angles symmetrically arranged in a circuit around such point. The degree of these angles may be varied to suit the application. When the degree of the angle is zero, the bearing surfaces of the teeth may be made rectangular in shape instead of triangular, that is, the faces of the notches become parallel. When this configuration and arrangement is used, the device becomes self-locking in one direction 3 but not in a direction at right angles to this direction without further provision for locking such as the spikes or fastenings.

Another feature of the invention residesin the adaptation of the invention as a universal tie plate. That is to say, the tie bearing plate A may be attached to the tie at the treating plant or wherever the tie is surfaced as is now common practice, doing so by machinery and thereby cutting down the expense of doing it in the field under various adverse conditions.

When the tie arrives in the field it is only necessary to apply the particular fittings to the size of the rail used, fastening them down and in the case of adjustment shown in the drawings, it may be placed to gauge without any changing of spikes 0r fastenings, or in any way injuring the tie. If at any time it is necessary to change the rail to a different size it is only necessary to substitute the proper rail fitting B to suit the different size rail base and apply the fastenings. This automatically brings the rail in track to standard gauge without any further ceremony.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirlt of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

We claim 1. An adjustable rail support including a tie bearing plate, a rail supporting unit comprising vertically adjustable rail supporting members, and means for adjusting said rail supporting unit laterally of the tie bearing plate.

I 2. An adjustable rail supportincludinga tie bearing plate, and a'rail supporting-unit includinga member having a rail seat,-anda height adjusting member adapted to bein-= including an upper member having arail seat and a lower height 'adjusting j.member ar-v ranged between said upper memberand the V tie bearing plate, and fastenings-forengag 1 ing with the rail and passing through the members of said unit and the tie bearing plate to takeanchorage in the tie.

' 4. An adjustable rail chair including a tic;

bearing plate, and a rail supporting unit comprising vertically adjustable rail s p-- porting members each having engaging 1nclined faces provided with stepped shoulders whereby relative movement between the members will produce elevation of the rail.

5. An adjusta'ble'rail chair including a tie bearing plate, and a railsupporting unit comprising complementary vertically adjustable rail supporting members each having engaging inclined facesprovided with a plurality ofmating facetswhereby relative movement between the members Will produce elevation of the rail.

, 6. An adjustable rail chair including a tie bearing plate, and a rail supporting unit mounted thereon, said unit comprising a pair of complementary members each provided with a plurality of facets arrangedinsuccessively lower planes with the facets of one member matching the facets of another member and adapted to rest thereon.

7 An adjustable rail chair including a tie bearing plate, and a rail supporting unit mounted on said plate, said unitcomprising a pair of complementary members, one face of each of which is provided with a plurality of circularly arranged matching facets extending successively into different planes.

8. An adjustable rail chair including a tie bearing plate, and a rail supporting unit mounted on said plate, said unit comprising a pair of complementary members, a face of each member being provided with a plurality of facets extending into different planes and circularly arranged with the top surface of each step sloping downwardly toward the riser portion of the adjacent higher step or facet.

9. An adjustable rail chair including a tie bearing plate, and a rail supportingiunit mounted on said plate, said unit comprising a pair of complementary circular members whose opposing faces are provided with a plurality of steps defining an are about the axes of the members, the steps being arranged in arcuate groups each consisting of successively lower steps with the lowest step of one I mountedpnsaidplzite,saidunit comprising 1 v ai'pair. of complementary superposed memgroupr manged; adjacent to the-highest step of; the: adjacent group;

x 110; An ad'ustable railchairincludinga, tieibearin'g plate; and'a-lrail supportin unit mountedpmsaidfplate, said unit inclu ing a pair of circular. complementary members each provided; with;arcuate' groups- 0f; facets arranged; at 1 difierent elevations, and the lower oueiof, the membersof said units having arouaterfastening receiving; openings.

11. An. adjustable; rail chair including a tie bearingplate; anda rail supporting unit bers,.. the adjacent faces-of said members being provided. with inclinedv adjusting surfaces eachincluding a plurality-of matching; facets-.1,

a 12. An adjustable; rail, chair including a tie; bearing plate, andarail supporting unit mbuntedon'saidplate, said unit comprising a-zapa'ir-a of circular" complementary members,

I signatures;

theadj acent faces ofsaid members. beingprovidedi with; inclined adjusting surfaces each jincluding aiplurality of matching facets, the

outer periphery ofeachfmember being provided lwith -.-wr ench;engaging lugs.

13'; ,Anadjustabldrail support including atie bearinggplate-having serrations in its upper*surface; and I a, rail supporting iunit having serrations on its bottomface for, engaging with thefserrations on the tie bearingplate for; effecting v lateral adj ustment v of- V the rail support to; adj 11st; the 'rail ,to gauge, width.

In testimony whereof we hereunto fiifllXgO'llI BERNARD J. SCHWENDT. JCARLF. STOLTZ. 

